Metal band Geared4 are seeking advice over the claim that boy band G4 has stolen their name, making them the laughing stock among fans. Here are several excerpts from the article:

A Bishop's Stortford heavy metal musician is seeking legal advice claiming that X-Factor boy band group G4 stole the name of his band, which he helped form five years ago.

Glenn Abel, 27, says fans of his heavy metal band Geared4 which he says is known as G4 have been taking the mickey since the operatic singers came to the fore on the ITV talent show, and that his band has now become a target for ridicule.

Mr Abel, who is lead singer and bass player, said: "Many artists' names get abbreviated and what we're known as among our fan base is G4 and we've been using G4 in all our merchandise, all our correspondence and promotional material for about the last three years.

"Being a heavy metal band we have an image to protect. We're supposed to be hard men, look tough and everything.

"Playing on the heavy metal circuit we've just become the victims of ridicule because we're known as G4."

He added: "Since G4 have come on the scene we've basically had people taking the mickey out of us and it's harmed our prospects with regards to maintaining our fan base.

"Our main goal is to gain a record deal but at the moment we're struggling to maintain our fan base because we've become a laughing stock."

Mr Abel, of Beldams Lane, Bishop's Stortford, said fans were making jokes of Geared4, even though the music of the two bands is totally different.

He said: "I think that's actually caused us more harm. We play aggressive music. We're trying to get people onto our mailing list and people are taking the mickey out of us.

"Previously we had people biting our hands off to buy our CDs and join our mailing list, sign up for the newsletter, now all they want to do is make jokes."

After Geared4 saw G4 on the ITV show they contacted ITV which passed them on to the production company which put them on to the band's manager, Louis Walsh, and his company's solicitors.

Mr Abel said the solicitors had told him Geared4 "haven't got a leg to stand on" with their complaint and they had asked Geared4 to produce evidence to support their claims.